we had a nor'easter in 2006 that came about here, about where sandy came. if you think about it 100 years ago that would be a foot and a half down, it wouldn't even have touched this building. problem is 100 years going forward, if you go up three feet, in 100 years this middle of the road nor'easter is suddenly as high as the storm of record in 1933. >> reporter: the national oceanic and atmospheric administration finds norfolk is the second most vulnerable area its size to sea level rise in the country, right behind new orleans. norfolk is particularly prone to flooding because of its location-- flanked by the atlantic ocean, the chesapeake bay and the james river. it is also slowly sinking. the city is home to roughly 250,000 people, a major port and the world's largest naval base. it is of critical importance to our national security. nearly 45% of the city's economy is tied to defense spending. and in response to sea level rise, the navy has been replacing 14 piers at a cost of $35 million to $40 million apiece. >> sea level here is coming up for lots